Making Noise about Halloween

In the initial situation analysis on Ocean Park, all the feedback from guests was very loud and clear.   One welcomed criticism stated that there was no noise from the park.   To a salesman, that means no one is selling, and we needed to begin “selling.”   Nothing happens in this world until a sale is made and no product sells by itself (no matter how good it is), it is sold by a salesman. If it is not sold, it will not be bought.  This is a mantra that salespeople repeat over and over again.   Silence can only be interpreted as the park has nothing to sell, or perhaps they are in financial trouble, or perhaps the park is closed and no longer in business.  

The Halloween event was a tremendous spark and an opportunity to make noise.  The concept of Halloween was new to Hong Kong, for a theme park, and even to the sales and marketing team.   Imagine what it was like trying to develop a “brief” for the advertising agency.   The brief would be a challenge in itself because Halloween was new to advertising.  Can you imagine telling the agency that you want to advertise scares and frights from ghosts and goblins?  

In briefing the agency, the first step was to get the creative team to clear their thoughts and have an open mind to what we were going to ask of them.  They were equally skeptical of the Halloween concept.

“You want us to create an ad that sells ghosts and goblins, frights and screams?”  That question from the agency team resonated loudly throughout the briefing, initially with awe and bewilderment.   I think the agency could have been initially in shock.   There was a need to guide them through the concept of Halloween, the haunted house, and walking through a maze with frights at each turn.   It was also important to lead the creative team to understand that the desired result of the experience was focused on screams, the louder the better.  This was what we wanted to communicate in our advertising.      

There were many worried looks on the faces, but ultimately, they, perhaps with some trepidation, accepted their marching orders.   Though they remained skeptical, they left the briefing with anticipation, excitement, tension, and even a “what are we going to do?” glare in their eyes.   Advertising for the first year was far from perfection, but then it was a first time, and it did make noise.  

With some experience now, we all agreed that advertising for the second Halloween event would be much improved.    As a matter of fact, the advertising improved and matured year after year as the event grew more and more in popularity.  Eventually, the agency could not wait for the next Halloween event.  The market anxiously waited for new ads every August and September.  Waiting for the ads in itself already built excitement in the marketplace for the event.  

With each year, the advertising agency grew more and more energized and excited about advertising screams, scares, and frights.  The advertisements became more and more creative and attractive.   The noise grew louder and louder with each passing year.   What terrific results.